See A Fish With A Transparent Head
February 23, 2009
Today there's a new addition to the "real life is stranger than fiction" category. Check out the fish Macropinna microstoma. It has tubular eyes and a see-through head.
Image: © 2004 MBARI
These photos blew me away today. Here's another:
Image: © 2004 MBARI
The common name for the fish is "barreleyes." Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute investigators recently figured out why this species has such an unusual head. Its eyes can actually rotate within its "skull," so the transparency allows the wary swimmer to keep a literal eye on happenings above it, as well as to the sides and directly in front.
Using video cameras, MBARI researchers Bruce Robison and Kim Reisenbichler revealed the fish's eye movements. When remotely operated vehicles approached the fish, its eyes glowed a vivid green shade in the bright lights of the ROVs. Usually the fish were just hanging out motionless under the deep waters offshore California's central coast.
Here's a "face-on" view showing the green glow.
Image: © 2006 MBARI
Although the fish has a tiny mouth, it possesses a large digestive systems. Two net-caught individuals contained fragments of jellyfish, which must have been their last meal.
A siphonophore jelly
Image: © 2001 MBARI
Such a potentially painful dinner requires incredible stealth, so it's now thought that barreleyes carefully maneuvers its body near such stinging organisms, keeping its "eyes on the prize," as the researchers said, throughout the entire hunt. Its tiny mouth then picks at the victim while a transparent shield protects the fish's eyes.
To see more images of the transparent-headed fish, please visit this MBARI website.
Looks like its a 3D made up figure.
Posted by: shayx | February 23, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Oh my gosh that is crazy. That is the coolest fish ever!
Stacy
www.stacysdailythoughts.blogspot.com
Posted by: Stacy | February 23, 2009 at 10:31 PM
That is absolutely amazing! I must have one!
RT
www.anonymity.eu.tc
Posted by: John Davies | February 23, 2009 at 10:41 PM
whoa, wonder how it tastes.
www.pimpwell.com
Posted by: bbw | February 23, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Wha, radioactive any? ha
Posted by: Mike Dukakis | February 23, 2009 at 11:22 PM
Stacy- I enjoyed reading through your blog. So many of my friends are on Weight Watchers now too. This fish might convert many to a vegan diet! Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Jennifer Viegas | February 24, 2009 at 12:46 AM
That's a pretty freaky fish.
The Wikipedia page for it:
Barreleye
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barreleye
Posted by: ekbworldwide | February 24, 2009 at 04:12 AM
Wow, very amazing creature.
Posted by: Michi | February 24, 2009 at 08:04 AM
hey thats a kool fish!!!! can u really see though it????
Posted by: speedynate | February 24, 2009 at 09:58 AM
Looks so beautiful and fragile.
There's a video of it on youtube, including the happy end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM9o4VnfHJU
:)
Posted by: Slavi | February 24, 2009 at 10:39 AM
haha awsome, i wonder if it tastes any good :D
- Tito
www.xkclan.com
Posted by: Tito | February 24, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Я рыба!!!111 Сделайте меня невидимой, кто-нибудь!!!111
Posted by: shit | February 24, 2009 at 11:25 AM
That is sick! COol Looking Fish for sure
http://www.wiinjamod.com
Posted by: Gino | February 24, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I wonder what it tastes like?
Posted by: Throck | February 24, 2009 at 04:02 PM
Thanks for providing the related links, Slavi and ekbworldwide. I'm glad the video wound up on YouTube. If I just load raw footage here, the page uploads slow down to a crawl.
Posted by: Jennifer Viegas | February 24, 2009 at 04:09 PM
This is crazy cool! If only it was small enough for my 30 gallon salt water aquarium!
ND
Posted by: Natalie | February 24, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Magnifique !
Posted by: cedricguppy | February 25, 2009 at 09:24 AM
think again...here's an actual video of the fish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM9o4VnfHJU
Posted by: JB | February 25, 2009 at 03:53 PM
Transparent Fish photos http://themapicus.com/transparent-fish/1.html
Posted by: xb | February 25, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Are the Pictures real they seem like they are not
Posted by: Chikku | February 25, 2009 at 08:40 PM
This is one of the coolest things i have seen in a while.. its one if the reasons i want to become a marine biologist to discover and show the world awesome things like this. I agree with pat the world is way better then any imagined creature someone could come up with.
Posted by: Nena | February 26, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Seriously though... is this real or a scam? I mean a fish with a see trough head.. if any one would have a see trough head it would have been G.W. Bush....
Posted by: AC | February 27, 2009 at 02:49 AM
Nena- You have my blessings in your efforts to become a marine biologist. MBARI, the research organization that worked on this project, has a summer internship program. Not sure if you've ever been to this part of California, but it is truly one of the most gorgeous spots on Earth. For more info about the internship program, please go to:
http://www.mbari.org/education/internship/genintern.html
Posted by: Jen Viegas | February 27, 2009 at 10:17 AM
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.craigslistdecoded.info
Posted by: Sarah | March 03, 2009 at 08:46 AM
Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate your stopping by and taking the time to write.
Posted by: Jennifer Viegas | March 03, 2009 at 10:54 AM